Topic: Siri

Over the past two years, pundits have focused on living room TVs as the most likely new market for Apple to expand into, but evidence suggests that the company's next big step for iOS is more likely to involve the automotive market.

A year after Siri first launched, Apple's personal assistant still falls short when accomplishing basic tasks that one might assume would be a priority for the company, such as finding a local Apple Store.

Google told reporters today that the future of web search looks identical to Apple's Siri, admitting, "if we are going to build the search of the future, we will have to solve difficult technology issues like speech recognition and natural language."

The somewhat tedious process of logging into applications on Apple's iOS devices using the on-screen keyboard may soon become a thing of the past thanks to a new software platform from Nuance that promises to allow app makers to authenticate a user by the sound of their voice and much, much more.

In a suit filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas last Friday, the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Taiwan claims Apple's implementation of Siri on the iPhone 4S infringes on two speech-recognition patents and seeks a permanent sales ban on offending products as well as damages awards.

Even as Google continues to develop voice search functionality for its Android mobile operating system, the company's new Google Now service is a different approach to tackling rival Apple's Siri virtual assistant.

This year's iOS 6 upgrade will bring the Siri personal assistant software to Apple's third-generation iPad, and will also add system-wide integration with Facebook for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users.